This invention relates in general to a device for attaching a swing to a cross bar of a swing set such that the swing may rotate 360 degrees about the cross bar and more specifically to such a device that may be attached easily and directly in position.
Children""s swings, glide rides, and the like usually are incorporated in a swing set including some kind of a seating platform suspended by suspension means, such as chains, cables, tubes or the like, from a cross bar or other raised horizontal support.
One problem with playground swing sets is that children often throw the swings over the upper crossbar of the swing set so that the swings may ultimately become wrapped around the crossbar. Wrapped swings are typically unusable and must be unwrapped by maintenance personnel. A swing that is wrapped around the cross bar only once, and evenly, may appear to be usable; however its use may damage the crossbar or the chains that support the swing seat, or could prove dangerous to the user. Unwrapping swings consumes the time of maintenance personnel and is thus expensive. It is thus desirable to provide a device that prevents the swings from being wrapped over the cross bar.
Several rotating attachment devices for a swing have been proposed. These devices have one or more shortcomings. First, some are difficult to install in that they are installed over the end of the cross arm. Thus, they must be installed upon initial assembly of the swing set or, if installed in the field as repair, the cross bar must be disassembled from the remainder of the swing set and any attachment devices between the end of the cross bar and the place of replacement must be removed and later reattached. Therefore, it is desirable to have a swing attachment device that may easily be attached to a cross bar in situ without disassembly of other components.
Another shortcoming of some rotating attachment devices is that they contain bearings that wear and must be replaced. Therefore, it is desirable to have a rotating attachment device wherein the bearings are easily replaced.
There do exist bearing assemblies for swing sets that do allow a chain or other suspension means to pivot completely over the top bar and that are attachable in situ, for example; U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,077 to Trottier et al. However, such assemblies are relatively complicated devices consisting of several separate parts that must be assembled using a multiplicity of small fasteners. Considering the fact that most present day swing sets are sold in a knock-down condition for assembly by the ultimate purchaser, it is not surprising that those small parts are often misplaced or lost entirely. At the very least, the required installation of all those parts prolongs the time it takes to assemble or repair the swing set.
This invention is a rotating attachment device for attaching the upper end of a swing to a swing support bar, such as a cross bar, and it generally comprises an inner bearing and an outer bearing. The inner bearing comprises at least two inner bearing arc segment members for direct placement on the cross bar. Each inner bearing arc segment member includes an inner side adapted for engaging the outer surface of the bar and an outer side, including a raceway including a radial bearing surface and a radial flange on each side of the radial bearing surface. The radial bearing surfaces form arc segments defining an outward facing cylindrical bearing surface when the inner bearing members are attached, such as with screws, to the cross bar.
The outer bearing includes a plurality of outer bearing members, such as a first outer bearing member and a second outer bearing member including an inner side including a bearing surface adapted for bearing on the radial bearing surfaces, pivotly connected first ends, such that the outer bearing is pivotable between an open position for fitting over the cylindrical bearing surface and a closed position wherein the inner side bearing surfaces are arc segments defining an inward facing cylindrical bearing surface for bearing on the outward facing bearing surface such that the outer bearing is rotatable 360 degrees about the swing support bar, and second ends including latching means for latching the outer bearing around the inner bearing in the closed position.
The outer bearing includes attaching means, such as a shackle, for pivotly attaching and supporting the upper end of the swing suspension member.
Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.